4 ms·

Actually there is still some unclaimed land: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Byrd_Land http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Byrd_Land I'm sure at least one

Actually there is still some unclaimed land: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Byrd_Land http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Byrd_Land I'm sure at least one of these guys might enjoy the challenge of making it hospitable :)

Tichy 16y ago
Interesting. I'd wage a guess that making it hospitable would at least be easier than colonizing Mars.
- arethuza 16y ago
  There is a reason nobody wants it: "Byrd Station provided a template for the doomed Antarctic base in the horror movie John Carpenter's The Thing."
- hugh3 16y ago
  If you actually wanted to build a base on Marie Byrd Land, I'm sure it could be done relatively cheaply, in the tens-of-millions-of-dollars range. Then quite a few more million dollars a year to keep it supplied and running. Certainly well within the capabilities of any multi-billionaire. It's still not clear why you'd want to, though. I doubt you could avoid much in taxes, and it's really unpleasantly cold down there. On the upside you'd probably be safe from pirates. edit: A nice yacht is probably cheaper per square foot than an Antarctic base, and tends to have much better weather.
PostOnce 16y ago
Doesn't matter. Article IV of the Antarctica Treaty says "no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force;", Signatories include pretty much everyone and it dates back to 1959. You can claim anything you want, but it won't matter unless everyone else recognizes and respects your claim. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty_System http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty_System
- sp332 16y ago
  Yeah, but I didn't sign it :-) If I renounce my citizenship here, and move to Antarctica, who could tax me?
  - sqrt17 16y ago
    Maybe there would be no tax, but the cost of getting internet, energy and food supplied there would be very taxing. (What good is a year's worth of ramen if you have no fire to cook it on?)
    - hugh3 16y ago
      It's worth noting that the only tax you're avoiding is tax on income actually earned within Antarctica -- ie. whatever trade you can manage with your fellow Byrdlanders. You'll still get taxed on your income generated in other countries.
  - PostOnce 16y ago
    An undefended claim is no claim at all :P If they ever do start acknowledging claims, Russia or China or the USA will claim whatever you squat on, and what will you do to prevent them from that? If they wanted to build a giant monument their awesomeness, how would you stop them from building? Pseudo-kingdoms need soldiers, or at the very least, advanced automated weaponry.
metachris 16y ago
Also related: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unclaimed_territory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unclaimed_territory

Tichy 16y ago

Interesting. I'd wage a guess that making it hospitable would at least be easier than colonizing Mars.

arethuza 16y ago
There is a reason nobody wants it: "Byrd Station provided a template for the doomed Antarctic base in the horror movie John Carpenter's The Thing."
hugh3 16y ago
If you actually wanted to build a base on Marie Byrd Land, I'm sure it could be done relatively cheaply, in the tens-of-millions-of-dollars range. Then quite a few more million dollars a year to keep it supplied and running. Certainly well within the capabilities of any multi-billionaire. It's still not clear why you'd want to, though. I doubt you could avoid much in taxes, and it's really unpleasantly cold down there. On the upside you'd probably be safe from pirates. edit: A nice yacht is probably cheaper per square foot than an Antarctic base, and tends to have much better weather.

PostOnce 16y ago

Doesn't matter. Article IV of the Antarctica Treaty says "no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force;", Signatories include pretty much everyone and it dates back to 1959. You can claim anything you want, but it won't matter unless everyone else recognizes and respects your claim. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty_System http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty_System

sp332 16y ago
Yeah, but I didn't sign it :-) If I renounce my citizenship here, and move to Antarctica, who could tax me?
- sqrt17 16y ago
  Maybe there would be no tax, but the cost of getting internet, energy and food supplied there would be very taxing. (What good is a year's worth of ramen if you have no fire to cook it on?)
  - hugh3 16y ago
    It's worth noting that the only tax you're avoiding is tax on income actually earned within Antarctica -- ie. whatever trade you can manage with your fellow Byrdlanders. You'll still get taxed on your income generated in other countries.
- PostOnce 16y ago
  An undefended claim is no claim at all :P If they ever do start acknowledging claims, Russia or China or the USA will claim whatever you squat on, and what will you do to prevent them from that? If they wanted to build a giant monument their awesomeness, how would you stop them from building? Pseudo-kingdoms need soldiers, or at the very least, advanced automated weaponry.

metachris 16y ago

Also related: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unclaimed_territory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unclaimed_territory